Omnium Gatherum, the topical drama by Theresa Rebeck and Alexandra Gersten-Vassilaros, will have its St. Louis premiere by the small Hothouse Theatre Company in February 2004.

"I saw the play the second weekend of the Humana Festival and have not been this turned on by a play or the power of theatre in a very long time," said Marty Stanberry, Hothouse artistic director. "I lobbied for the rights immediately."

He credited his winning of the rights over larger St. Louis theatres to his "over-bearing persistence."

Omnium depicts a contentious dinner party, possibly taking place in hell. Among the guests are characters who resemble such turbulent (and talkative) social forces as journalist Christopher Hitchens, homemaker mogul Martha Stewart, novelist Tom Clancy and Palestinian-American educator and author Edward Said. The play is described as "an urgent, impassioned and hilarious conversation about the implications of the Sept. 11 attacks and beyond."

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The New York debut of the show will begin previews at Off-Broadway's Variety Arts Theatre Sept. 9. Opening night is Sept. 25. The New York cast includes many of the Louisville production's stars, including Kristine Nielsen, Dean Nolen, Phillip Clark and Edward J. Hajj. Also in the cast are Amir Arison, Jenny Bacon, Melanna Gray and Joseph Lyle Taylor.

Will Frears, the director at Louisville, will repeat his work in New York. David Rockwell will design the set. The producers of the New York mounting are Robert Cole, Joyce Johnson and Max Cooper, in association with Charles Flateman/Kerrin Behrend and Jujamcyn Theaters. The involvement of Jujamcyn seems to indicate that a Broadway transfer for the praised work is not out of the question.